Automatic mail delivery or conveying, sorting, and stacking systems are known which deliver pieces or units of mail, such as, for example, envelopes, letters, catalogs, newspapers, magazines, greeting cards, telephone directories, and the like, into sorting bins that are adapted to have pieces or units of mail stacked therein up to a particular or predetermined height or depth dimension. Since the volumetric amount that a particular sorting bin could hold, contain, or accommodate would obviously comprise a particular number of pieces or units of mail having predetermined thickness dimensions, then it would be desirable for an automatic delivery or conveying, sorting, and stacking system to predetermine the thickness dimension of each individual unit or piece of mail, as well as to track the number of individual mail pieces or units detected or scanned so that a predetermined stack of mail, comprising a predetermined number of pieces or units of mail, can in fact be deposited within a particular sorting bin. PRIOR ART automated mail conveying, sorting, delivering, and stacking systems, however, have exhibited several operational drawbacks or deficiencies along these procedural lines.
For example, in accordance with a first known type of automated mail conveying, sorting, delivering, and stacking system, while such a system is capable of tracking, ascertaining, or determining the number of units or pieces of mail that have been conveyed, sorted, and delivered to predetermined sorting bins, such a system has nevertheless been unable to accurately determine the thickness of each individual piece or unit of mail and to subsequently correlate such information with the total number of detected and counted pieces or units of mail. In particular, the thickness dimension of each individual piece or unit of mail is simply usually estimated in some manner by some means. In accordance with a second type of automated mail delivery or conveying, sorting, and stacking system, the system does not predetermine the thickness dimension of each individual unit or piece of mail, but to the contrary, the system simply determines or senses the height of the entire stack of mail deposited within each individual sorting bin. For example, each sorting bin is provided or equipped with photocell systems which are accordingly activated when the stack of mail deposited within a particular sorting bin reaches or attains a predetermined height or level. This type of system is relatively expensive, however, in view of the fact that each sorting bin must be equipped with its own photocell detection system.
Systems also exist which are capable of determining thickness dimensions of, for example, flat mail pieces or units, however, such systems have not been employed for determining the thickness dimensions of individual pieces or units of mail such that the determined thickness dimensions of the individual mail pieces or units can then be correlated or used in connection with the counted or detected number of individual mail pieces or units so as to correspondingly determine the height of a stack of mail deposited within a particular sorting bin. For example, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,330, which issued to Schaal on Sep. 26, 2000, a suction separation system is utilized in connection with the conveyance of flat mail pieces, and the system utilizes a rotary potentiometer to determine the thickness dimension of each stack item wherein the thickness dimension is related to, or is a function of, the stack pressure which is suitably monitored, corrected, adjusted, and controlled.
In a similar manner, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,692, which issued to Large et al. on Mar. 17, 1998, the thickness dimensions of envelopes are determined, however, such thickness dimensions are determined as a means for correspondingly determining whether or not any contents are present within a particular envelope. Still further, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,246, which issued to Kruger on Jan. 6, 1998, a raster gauge is used to determine the thickness dimensions of objects in order to, in turn, determine whether or not such objects can be subsequently handled by means of other machines or equipment located downstream within the overall processing or handling system. Still yet further, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,123, which issued to Tovini et al. on Aug. 24, 1993, a system is employed to determine thickness and length dimensions or parameters of envelopes whereby those envelopes which do not have length and thickness dimensions which are within a predetermined range of values are removed from the particularly disclosed handling system. Lastly, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,842, which issued to Tolmie, Jr. et al. on Sep. 4, 1990, there is disclosed a system for determining the thickness dimensions of mail pieces or units such that the mail pieces or units can be properly conveyed by means of a particular handling system in accordance with a predetermined velocity sequence or profile.
Still further, it has also been experienced that in connection with the conveyance or transportation of different mail pieces or articles, such as, for example, those mail pieces or articles which are characterized by relatively large thickness dimensions, or alternatively, those mail pieces or articles which are characterized by thickness dimensions which vary along the longitudinal extent of the particular mail piece or article, inaccuracies, in connection with the determination of the thickness dimensions of the various mail pieces or articles, can occur. Accordingly, such inaccuracies, in connection with the determination of the thickness dimensions of the various mail pieces or articles, can effectively result in operational malfunctions of the system wherein, for example, the storage bins are not completely filled to their predeterminedly known, designated, or rated capacity. For example, one of the mail pieces or articles that may be conveyed or transported along the conveyor or transportation system may comprise a telephone directory or some similar article having a relatively large but constant thickness dimension. Accordingly, when the thickness dimension detection or determination device does in fact encounter the telephone directory or similar article, the device may experience or undergo repetitive bounce movements with respect to the relatively thick mail piece or article as a result of the sudden encounter of the device with the mail piece or article whose thickness dimension is substantially greater than the average thickness dimension, or the range of thickness dimensions, which may constitute a standard or norm for most of the articles or mail pieces being conveyed or transported by means of the conveyor transportation system. As a result of the thickness detection device experiencing or undergoing the aforenoted repetitive “bounce” movements, wherein the thickness detection device may be displaced from its normal disposition through means of a distance or movement which is greater than the actual thickness dimension of the telephone directory or similar article, false thickness dimension readings will be developed and indicated. Therefore, the true thickness dimensions of such mail pieces or articles will not in fact be able to be accurately determined whereby, in turn, the cumulative thickness dimensions of a multitude of such mail pieces or articles will not in fact be able to be accurately determined in order to properly or completely fill the storage bins.
Continuing still further, similar problems can occur in connection with the accurate determination of the thickness dimensions of those mail pieces or articles which are characterized by thickness dimensions which vary along the longitudinal extent of the particular mail piece or article. Considering, for example, those mail piece packages which may contain greeting cards, or other irregularly shaped articles or objects, wherein the mail piece package is characterized by thickness dimensions which will vary over the longitudinal extent or length of the mail piece package, the thickness detection device will, for example, read, or generate signals indicative of, the varying thickness dimensions, and accordingly, varying thickness dimension readings will be developed and indicated for each mail piece package. Therefore, a single, true or accurate thickness dimension, or at least a substantially accurate average thickness dimension, for each one of such mail piece packages will not in fact be able to be accurately determined whereby, in turn, the cumulative thickness dimensions of a multitude of such mail piece packages will not in fact be able to be accurately determined in order to properly or completely fill the storage bins.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved thickness measuring device, and a method of using the same, for use within a mail handling system wherein the thickness measuring device can determine the thickness dimension of individual pieces or units of mail as the same are conveyed past the device, such that the thickness information or data can be correlated with the number of scanned or detected mail pieces or units which are being delivered to predetermined sorting bins so as to determine the precise number of mail pieces or units that can be deposited within a particular sorting or storage bin such that the stack of mail disposed, housed, or contained within the particular sorting or storage bin has a predetermined height dimension, whereupon further conveyance of mail pieces or units, to such sorting or storage bin, can be terminated until such sorting or storage bin has been emptied or replaced.
In addition, a correlated need exists in the art for a new and improved thickness measuring device, and a method of using the same, for use within a mail handling system wherein the thickness measuring device can accurately determine the thickness dimensions of individual mail pieces, units, or packages, regardless of whether the individual mail pieces, units, or packages are characterized by means of constant, relatively large thickness dimensions, or alternatively, regardless of whether the individual mail pieces, units, or packages are characterized by means of thickness dimensions which will vary along the longitudinal extent or length of the individual mail pieces, units, or packages, such that the thickness information or data can be correlated with the number of scanned or detected mail pieces or units which are being delivered toward predetermined sorting bins so as to determine the precise number of mail pieces or units that can be deposited within a particular one of the sorting or storage bins such that the stack of mail disposed, housed, or contained within the particular sorting or storage bin will have a predetermined height dimension, whereupon further conveyance of mail units or pieces, toward such sorting or storage bin, can be terminated until such sorting or storage bin has been emptied or replaced.